When six couples from our East Coast life joined us here on the Monterey Peninsula, it wasn’t hard to come up with wineries we wanted them to experience. Corral Wine Co. @corralwineco was an easy choice to make. This was the perfect opportunity to expose them to Adrien Valenzuela’s fine winemaking. In addition, there were 4 new releases to try, which are the centerpiece of today’s post!
Many thanks to owner Larry Bell for his surprise appearance to host our group and share stories about the winery and the wines. (Our friends proclaimed “There’s a cowboy in there!” as we walked into the tasting room.) His humility and honesty about their experiences, successes and challenges to date are refreshing. As their slogan says: they’re not fancy, but they make good wine. And a very special shout out to Marissa for pouring for us and amplifying the wine descriptions along the way – she is the consummate professional! Our friends commented for days about the high quality of the Corral Wine Co. wines.
My Chardonnay-loving friend declared the 2022 Corral Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay as the best of the day. My updated review: “Yellow-gold in the glass. Butter and caramel balanced by a touch of lime on the nose. Quite flavorful and classic. A nice tang on the palate and acidity on the finish saves it from being too buttery from the malolactic fermentation. November 2024 and March 2025”
And, finally, the 2021 Corral Cabernet Sauvignon has come into its own on this third (for me) tasting: “Purple in the glass. Raspberry and plum on the nose, reminiscent of a balsamic vinegar, savory and slightly sweet at the same time. Juicy, balanced palate, like a rich raspberry jam on toasted sourdough. A blue, tannic crunchiness of Concord grape skin, finishing with intensely dark plum and mint. Very complex and delicious. March 2025”
THE WINERY
From their website: “In 2017, in a barn in Corral de Tierra, California, we barreled our first batch of estate Pinot Noir. We’re still in that same barn, but we’ve made even more varietals from some of the best grapes on the Central Coast.
“We’re a family-owned operations – we’re not fancy, but we make good wine.”
THE WINES
Today I am presenting 4 Corral Wine Co.new releases from this reunion experience. Winery notes come from their website or the tasting sheet. My notes are amplified by the East Coast Chapter of the Decanting Monterey Wine Pod. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2023 Corral Estate Rose of Pinot Noir, Bell Ranch, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, $36 (#1531)
Winery Notes: “Vibrant aromas of strawberry, peach ring, and red fruit. Leading way into flavors of watermelon, passion fruit, and orange citrus with hints of white peach and mandarin.” Getting the color right remains a challenge – from their previous vintage of a bright deep color to this year’s pale version.
My Review: Very pale and viscous in the glass. Floral nose, followed by a crisp palate highlighted by pink grapefruit tartness. I would drink this in the micro-climate. March 2025
2023 Corral Sauvignon Blanc, Zabala Vineyard, Arroyo Seco AVA, Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $30 (#1532)
Winery Notes: “Aromas of stone fruits, citrus, wet stone, and hints of gooseberry. On the palate lemon, citrus, peach while finishing with its nice racing acidity and minerality.”
My Review: Pale golden in the glass. Grilled pineapple on the nose. Very tasty crisp palate with gooseberry and pineapple flavors. Perhaps the tastiest Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc currently on the market. February and March 2025
2022 Corral Pinot Noir, KW Ranch, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $58 (#1533)
Winery Notes: “Rich, full flavors of drk cherry, blackberry, bay leaf, clove, spice, and a long finish.”
My Review: Garnet in color. Violet and light cherry on the pleasant nose. Rich cherry jam countered by leather on the hot palate, with lingering menthol on the finish. A richer flavor than most SLH Pinot Noirs, slightly sweet on the front with a little lingering menthol on the finish. Consistently one of our favorite SLH Pinot Noirs. February and March 2025
2021 Corral Petite Sirah, Paso Robles AVA, San Luis Obispo County, 14.5% ABV, $56 (#1534)
Winery Notes: “Dark and rich in color with aromas of dark fruit, and ripe red fruits leading way into hints of sage, nutmeg, spices, and leather. With flavors of blackberries, sweet baking spices finishing with nice velvety tannins and a long flavorful finish.”
My Review: Rich, thick, dark purple in color. Crushed black currant with eucalyptus and sage notes on the nose. Huge, rich palate of dark fruit, finishing with lingering intense black currant and saddle leather. This is one delicious wine. We took some home! February/March 2025
Usually, I catch the announcement when a new ChesebroLa Montagne Sauvage is released, but the release of their latest vintage of this wine caught me by surprise. La Montagne Sauvage is one of the Monterey County wines I presented in my very first class many moons ago – it holds a special place in this aficionado’s portfolio. I discovered the release of this wine and 2 other new releases when I stopped in to pick up a couple of bottles of their Sparkling rosé. I came back with one of my Decanting Monterey Wine Pod expert tasters to make sure I got these classics right. We were fortunate to be hosted that day by Alex Lallos, their Tasting Room Manager.
I commend Chesebro for continuing to produce exceptional wines at affordable prices – something they should be extremely proud of.
THE WINES
Today, I am presenting 3 Chesebro Wines. I last presented their wines to you in January 2025 here: Kicking Off the New Year with a Chesebro Favorite! Winery notes come from the label, their tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone; however, as a general rule, I do not correct any typos from the winery’s website.
2017 Chesebro Piedras Blancas, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.4% ABV, $30 (#1415)
Winery Notes: “A Rhone style white (85% Roussanne, 10% Vermentino, 5% Sauvignon Blanc) Our richest and most complex / ageworthy white. Don’t be afraid to put this Rhone syled white from our estate vineyard in Carmel Valley deep in your cellar. A blend of mainly Roussanne, it is modeled after the most famous white wines in Chateauneuf du Pape, France. Rich and viscous with aromas of stone fruit and flavors of baked apples and oak. A full bodied and very srious white for the true connoiseur in mind. Pair this heady white whith cream sauces, roasted fowl and sweetbreads.”
My Review: Pale, dusty gold in the glass. Light mouthfeel. Peach and melon on the nose. Mellow palate with gardenia, white peach flavors, a lot of minerality, and balanced acidity. Turns out this wine was released in Summer 2024 – but I have better tasting notes this time! February 2025
2017 Chesebro La Montagne Sauvage, CM Ranch, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.7% ABV, $35 (#1524)
Winery Notes: “Our proprietary Rhone belnd of Syrah (80%), Grenache (15%) and Mourvedre (5%) modeled after the legendary wines of the Southern Rhone Valley in France. Grown at 1800′ elevation, this is our flagship wine and our most popular blend from a small 2.5 acre vineyard in the mountains of Carmel Valley. Rich and broading with aromas of dark blackberries, chaparral, sage and all-spice. An ageworthy and deeply profound example of what these Rhone varietals can do on the granite soils of Upper Carmel Valley. ONLY 80 Cases Produced.”
My Review: Dusty garnet in color. Jammy nose with dark cherry and spicy notes. Medium palate with dark cherry flavors and a dry finish. Tasty. This is one of my favorite wines to present in a class. We took some home. February 2025
2017 Chesebro Syrah, CM Ranch, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 13.6% ABV, $38 (#1525)
Winery Notes: “Single barrel series. Only 25 cases produced. 100% single vineyard Syrah from our estate vineyard in Carmel Valley. Aromas of dark blueberry and currants, spice, sandal wood and cedar. Some deep earthy forest notes as well. Wonderfully balanced with chalky tannins, fine acidity and brambly fruit. Medium-full bodied.”
My Review: Big bright flavors on the exploding palate. A range of cherry flavors. Really delicious. Probably my favorite wine of the day. Took some home! February 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
“Come Raise a Glass with Us! We are located at 19D East Carmel Valley Road in Carmel Valley Village.”
From the Chesebro Facebook Page, used with permission
“We are now open for tasting on Friday through Sunday from noon until 5 PM and by apointment on other days. Due to our limited capacity please make an appointment on all days so that we may better serve you. Appointments can either be set up through this page…or by contacting Alex directly at Alex@chesebrowines.com or 831-238-2618. Due to our remote location, appointments are not available for the winery itself….”
SOME SPECIALS AT WINE.COMTO SHARE WITH YOU
New Customer March Promotion
Promotion: $20 off $150 on your First Order at Wine.com
One of the first places I went when my Dry January ended was to see Sal Rombi @rombiwine in his Carmel Valley tasting room. He said he had something for me. Yes, folks, February 1 and I was there! He told me he was going to be releasing his 2018 Petite Sirah this spring and he wanted me to try it. I gladly took it home. Impatient as we are, on February 2, we double decanted it (the best way to enjoy a Rombi wine!) and enjoyed it with our Sunday night dinner.
As my avid readers know, I fund this blog out of pocket. The industry recognition for waived tasting fees and discounts on wines is greatly appreciated; and the occasional gifting of a bottle of wine (or more), even more so. It doesn’t happen often, so I am so grateful when it does.
Grazie mille, Sal!
As I looked through my files, I realized we had tried this wine in August 2024 – but without the luxury of double decanting and at the end of a Decanting Monterey Wine Pod evening of tasting – not the best way, for sure. So today, I am happy to present both tastings together here in one place.
“Since 2006, hands-on winemaking that reflects a unique sense of place”
“Wine is a gift from nature, and every bottle produced at Rombi Wines tells a story of the land, the geography, the climate, and the hands-on philosophy of one man. Salvatore Rombi takes winemaking personally, obsessing over every detail — from harvest to barrel aging — to produce a unique range of elegant yet bold and complex red wines from the Carmel Valley Appellation. Rombi’s small vineyard and intimate tasting room provide the perfect setting for an unforgettable wine journey. With an unwavering commitment to excellence and a strict allegiance to sustainable farming practices, Rombi creates award-winning, limited-production vintages. As an ode to terroir — the rock and soil, but also the land and legacy, culture and commitment, time and tradition — the wines from Rombi are always bottled poetry.”
THE WINE
Today I’m presenting 1 wine, the 2018 Rombi Petite Sirah expected to be released soon, and my two sets of tasting notes, as explained above.
2018 Rombi Petite Sirah, Napa Valley AVA, 14.6% ABV, $75 (#1128) (pre-release)
My New Review: This wine was gifted to me. Big jammy nose, including plum, violet, blackberry, licorice and Chinese five spice. A huge palate of jammy blue and black fruits, wrapped in Chinese five spice with a licorice and cassis finish. Definitely has the Napa pedigree. February 2025
My Previous Review: This was the evening’s bonus wine, so it was not decanted. Always a mistake. Rombi wines must be decanted. Late in the evening, our notes were not as extensive: Very dark purple in color. Dried fig, cigarettes and a touch of barnyard on the nose. Super rich, big palate. This wine comes off a little hot, yet is an extremely tasty wine. Next time I get my hands on one of these, we are decanting it! August 2024
“At Rombi Wines, our unique tasting room provides the perfect setting for an unforgettable experience. Salvatore Rombi is most often on hand to guide you through the winemaking process and your tasting experience. Step off the beaten path and discover Rombi, where every bottle tells a story.
“Rombi Wines Tasting Room is at 1 Center St., in the charming Carmel Valley Village. We are open Saturdays and Sundays from noon–5 p.m., although appointments can be made for weekday visits.”
Today’s story seems simple on the surface: a Parsonage wine pickup and more 2021 releases to taste. We enjoy our wine pickups – a chance to chat up the staff, hear what’s new, taste new releases, retry some favorites, and hand select our final allocation. But the deeper story reflects what I am tasting and hearing at our local wineries: the impact of the missing vintage.
The 2020 wildfires ravaged much of Monterey County’s vineyards – both the Salinas Valley and Carmel Valleys were hit hard, meaning most vintners had to completely scrap their red wines. And, since many of our wineries are quite small, this means the 2021 and 2022 red wines are being released sooner than expected. It’s something to consider when you taste these wines that probably need more time in the bottle. I’m not referring to any of the wines in today’s post. But it is something to keep in mind.
Today I’m bringing you just 2 new releases from Parsonage’s 2021 vintage. Winery notes come from their website, newsletters or tasting room. Some of these are so new that tasting notes aren’t even yet available! Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2021 Parsonage Cyrano Red Wine, Central Coast AVA, 15% ABV, $32 (#1522)
Winery Notes: “The Cyrano, a blend of Merlot and Syrah, is one of our best sellers. Quite the dazzling bouquet of black, blue, and red fruit (in that order) wrapped in allspice and vanilla. Remarkably complex and delicious palate of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, currant, and exotic spices. The mouthfeel is elegantly structured with perfect acid-tannin balance. What a beautiful finish!”
My Review: Pretty garnet in the glass. Orange, violet, dark red plums, cranberry, red cherry, with a hint of bubblegum on the nose. Medium palate of bright cherries balanced with dried cherries, with the Syrah giving it a spicy finish. February 2025
2021 Parsonage Hawk Reserve Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley AVA, Monterey County, 15% ABV, $90 (#1523)
Winery Notes:“SCRUMPTIOUS!! What a crazy word to describe Pinot Noir. I also could have said yummy or delicious. But those descriptors are so inadequate. This Hawk is a true outlier, reminiscent of the epic 2012 version, for those who remember that vintage. The 2021 is barely recognizable as Pinot Noir. The bouquet hints at Pinot with its cherry and floral essences. But there’s a mysterious opulence to this Hawk that is mystifying and compellingly addictive. In a word, scrumptious!”
My Review: Mint and cherry on the nose. Light cherry and spice on the palate. An improvement over most Central Coast Pinot Noir wines – no metallic taste! A tasty wine. February 2025
THE TASTING ROOM
“Hooray! We are open for both indoor and outdoor wine tasting daily.”
19 E. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley Village
Hours: Monday – Friday: noon to 5pm, Saturday & Sunday: 11am to 5pm, Last seating for wine tasting: 4:15pm.
Tasting Room Photo Provided Courtesy of Parsonage!
“Reservations can be made here or by phone. Please call us at 831-659-7322 for same day reservations.”
(Seeing this on Instagram? Click the link in my profile to read the whole story)
THE STORY
In today’s post, I’m taking a brief hiatus from Central Coast wines to talk a little bit about my personal Dry January journey, the fine Bordeaux wines I left it for, and a Mollydooker Australian stunner.
MY DRY JANUARY
Due to a planned and much welcomed surgery, I had to give up alcohol for most of January. Post-surgery, I was prescribed a lot of acetaminophen (aka Tylenol). Acetaminophen and alcohol do not mix – unless you are very aware of your dosages and quantities of both. As I learned through a lot of reading (and I am no doctor), they both make demands of the same functions of your liver and too much of both, especially sustained high dosages of both, can be fatal. I read the bottle: taking over 4,000 mg and drinking more than 3 glasses of alcohol per day is not ok. And I wasn’t doing either.
Before the surgery, I dabbled with some non-alcoholic wines. I tried a red – a hard no. I have a bubbly nonalcoholic rose to try sometime in the future. Have any of my readers tried a non-alcoholic wine they found to be acceptable? Please leave me a comment! I’m open to trying some more.
I honored Dry January for 3 weeks. I really didn’t mind it, since my body needed to recover from the invasive surgery. I could hear wine being opened and enjoyed in my house. Instead, I allowed myself the baked treats and chocolates received from neighbors and friends. And I began a new habit of drinking water all evening instead of wine. I would have made it to January 30 but, when our Decanting Monterey Wine Pod partners offered to bring a happy hour to us, that sounded like a good reason to cut it a little short.
To better determine what would be safe for me, I researched the acetaminophen/alcohol/liver issue many ways. As my dose became smaller and smaller – and not daily, I wanted the clearance of my doc to be able to have a glass of wine. I asked my surgeon and my primary care doc. They both pretty much said that my dosage was small enough to enjoy a glass or two. Yay!
But don’t think I am just saying goodbye to Dry January and not looking back. I do believe new habits have been formed. I like my evening water as a healthy habit. And I look forward to saving wine consumption for more special occasions, such as the events driving the wines I’m posting about today.
THE BORDEAUX
I broke my dry January with 2 fine Bordeaux during the happy hour provided by our Decanting Monterey Wine Pod partners:
2016 Château Giscours, Grand Cru Classé, Margaux, France, 13% ABV, $80
Wine Enthusiast – 96 points: “This nearly 200-acre estate lies in the south of the Margaux appellation. The wine is another great success in a series of superb years. It is rich but the structure and finely textured fruit give it style and longevity. Drink the wine from 2026.” May 2019
2010 Château Léoville-Poyferré, 2nd Cru Classe de Medoc, Saint-Julien, 14% ABV, $175
Wine Enthusiast – 98 points: “A wine of architectural strength and classical proportions, this has straight lines that mark the packed, concentrated fruits, which are sustained by its tannins. This is certainly the best wine that Léoville-Poyferré has produced, sumptuous while so finely structured.” *Cellar Selection* (RV) February 2013
A “DOWN-UNDER” WINE CLASS
My virtual wine class with old DC friends selected a January theme of Australian wines but no 100% Shiraz wines. I found it quite difficult to find Australian wines – my grocery store had a couple of whites, and Costco had one Shiraz and maybe a couple of whites. Total Wine had their Australian wines spread throughout their store, organized by varietal, not country. I finally found today’s red blend in the Syrah section!
2022 Molly Dooker Two Left Feet, South Australia, 16% ABV, $30 (#70% Shiraz, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot
Winery Notes: “WHAT IS TWO LEFT FEET? Two Left Feet is what can happen when you dance after a glass or two of Mollydooker…The 2022 Two Left Feet wine stands out for its lively balance. The Shiraz grape adds depth, while Merlot and Cabernet contribute fragrance and lifted notes. On the palate you’ll notice the dominant plum and mocha notes with a touch of toasty oak. The red fruit flavors feel silky due to the soft tannins. The taste journey continues with hints of licorice and blackberry jam, creating a joyful experience that celebrates the blend’s diverse elements.”
My Review: Medium purple in the glass. Rich, yummy dark berries with a touch of eucalyptus on the nose. A full palate of brambly dark berry fruit, wrapped in caramel notes, with a touch of cassis on the finish. A little harsh upon first opening, but, once this wine opened up, I liked it very much. January 2025
Remember our Monterey Peninsula power outage in mid-December? Yeah, that one was not easy to forget. We decided to head to Carmel-By-The-Sea for holiday shopping and ended up at the Wrath Tasting Room in Carmel Plaza to see if there were any new Syrahs being poured. We tasted 4 new (to us) wines and took some home! There we were hosted once again by Cynthia, whom we had last seen in their Soledad tasting room.
“The wrath of Juno sent Aeneas wandering the Mediterranean in Vergil’s Aeneid. For the ancient Romans, ira or wrath, was a tool of a god, an unstoppable anger driven by forces greater than man. One can argue that we see such fury in both the might of nature and the passion of art. Wrath appears in the edgy power of Robert Plant’s voice and the raw wail of Eric Clapton’s guitar. It is frozen into Jackson Pollock’s violent splatters of paint. Wrath is in the wall of maritime fog that rolls into the Salinas Valley and the relentless afternoon winds that scream through our grape trellises. Wrath wines represent a nexus of nature and an unbridled passion for winemaking. Welcome to Wrath.”
“Wrath produces site-driven Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc from our estate vineyard and respected properties in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Our production is small, our distribution is limited and our wines reveal attitude, passion, and an inherent respect for what a vineyard can give us.”
THE WINES
Today I am presenting 4 Wrathwines from this December mini-tasting. Winery notes come from the tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise noted. You can read more about each wine on their website. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a rule, I do not correct typos from the wineries’ websites.
2021 Wrath Pinot Noir, Cortada Alta, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Monterey County, 14.2% ABV, $55 (#1511)
Winery Notes: “Wrath’s newest Single Vineyard Pinot Noir offering; Cortada Alta offers a leaner, more European style of Pinot, that showcases structure with youthful tannins that give way to subtle flavors of red and black cherry, a touch of dried herb and a bright juiciness that keeps the wine beautifully balanced.”
“Cortada Alta is the highest planted vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. Because of the challenges in dealing with thin, rocky soils and nearly constant exposure to strong cold winds that hit the clusters throughout the year, Swiss/German clones Mariafeld and Wadenswil were selected for this site. These two clones grow and ripen nicely in their environment and offer a sophisticated, interesting selection not usually found in our growing area. This bottling is a leaner, more European style of Pinot; it showcases structure with youthful tannins that give way to subtle flavors of red and black cherry, a touch of dried herb and a bright juiciness that keeps the wine beautifully balanced.”
My Review: Stems, plum and barnyard on the nose. The underlying fruit is cloaked in flavors of orange and dark cherry with a tannic finish. There is some underlying fruit hidden inside. December 2024
Winery Notes: “Concentrated and intense, this blend is upfront with mulled dark fruit, soy and earthy undertones. The palate is generous and seamless with mulberry, cola and a long lively finish.”
“In antiquity, the wrath of a victorious army often left cities burnt to the ground. Thousands of years later, these events show up as dark carbon-filled strata, or destruction levels, in the archaeological record. The subtle smoky quality that permeates Wrath Destruction Level Rhone Blend is an ode to the smoke-filled smell of victory that greeted the victorious armies of the ancient world. This red Rhone blend is composed of Syrah and Grenache from colder sites in Monterey County. Inky and intense, this blend is upfront with mulled dark fruit, soy and earthy undertones. The palate is generous and seamless with mulberry, cola and a long lively finish.”
My Review: Nose finishes with bright raspberry. Grenache dominates on the palate. December 2024
2021 Wrath EX Syrah, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 14.5% ABV, $25 (#1513)
Winery Notes: “Full-flavored and savory, this wine has dark berries, black pepper and dried herbs all wrapped with velvet tannins.”
“This wine captures the savory side of our estate-grown, cool-climate syrah clusters. Black peppercorn, rosemary, cola and blueberry aromas show on the nose, while the palate has more of the same along with cracked pepper, ripe olallieberry and dried meaty flavors. This bottling is a slightly younger, less oaky version of its bigger brother, San Saba Vineyard Syrah.” 90 points – Wine Enthusiast
My Review: Sulfur and smoke on the nose. Smooth palate – would be a good food wine. A decent entry-level Syrah which I would serve for a party or present in a class. December 2024
2019 Wrath Syrah, San Saba Vineyard, Monterey AVA, Monterey County, 14.6% ABV, $39 (#1514)
Wine Enthusiast – 92 points: “Pleasantly funky aromas of toasted nori and iodine mix with cracked pepper and dense berry plum paste on the nose of this single-vineyard expression. The cool-climate cracked pepper flavor is very powerful on the palate, spicing up what mulberry, plum and roasted fig flavors, with charred meat lingering deep into the finish.” Matt Kettmann April 2022
My Review: Dark in the glass. Big bouquet of spice with a touch of barnyard cloaking dark fruit notes. Rich feel on the palate. The dark fruit core is wrapped in cedar and spice. December 2024
THE TASTING ROOM
Wrathhas 2 places to taste their wines and we think they are both lovely. So handy to stop in at Carmel Plaza, but what a treat to drive out River Road to the bucolic setting of their winery – bring your lunch!
Winery Tasting Room: “Located at 35801 Foothill Road (at the junction of River Road) in Soledad, CA, 5 minutes west of Hwy 101. Open Fri-Mon from 11-5pm, closed Tue-Wed-Thurs. Direct: 831.678.2992”
Carmel Tasting Room: “Located in Carmel Plaza, downtown Carmel at the corner of Ocean Ave. and Mission St., ground floor. Open Fri and Sat from 11-6pm. Open Sun through Thur from 11-5pm”
As K&L Wine MerchantsInsiders, we often get access to wines at special prices. My better half’s approach to wine buying is to hunt for highly rated wines at a discount – or wine otherwise not available. That’s how we acquired today’s wine.
About Jonata: “Dedicated to expressing a range of red—and a handful of white—wines from its estate in the Central Coast of California’s Ballard Canyon appellation within Santa Ynez Valley, Jonata is one of a new breed of producers throughout the world who are thriving with a non-traditional amalgam of varieties and blends. With a commitment in particular to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah, and informed by cutting edge viticulture, winemaking and a polyface approach to their estate, the Jonata wines are on the vanguard of an emerging quality movement in California winegrowing.”
THE WINE
Today, I am presenting just 1 Jonata wine. Winery notes come from the label, their tasting sheet or their website, unless otherwise noted. Any errors are mine and mine alone; however, as a general rule, I do not correct any typos from the winery’s website.
2019 Jonata Todos “Everyone” Red Wine Vineyard Blend, Ballard Canyon AVA, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, 14.5% ABV, $50 (#1510) 48% Syrah, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah, 9% Merlot, 2% Sangiovese, 5% Misc. others (white and red)
Winery Notes: “Incense and Nag Champa fragrance. Bidis. Clove and cigar and black and red licorice. Dark and brooding with sweet blackberries, blueberries, cinnamon and baking spice. Black figs. Cracked white pepper. Like 2013 Todos in its power and breadth. Salty and tight today. Spicy and dark. Lovely depth of fruit. Tannins that start to build on the 3/4 pallet and slowly coat the entire mouth. Bundle of fruit wrapped in a formidable package of complex structure. Will reward those who decant and those who give it a few years in the cellar. One of my favorite Todos to date, no doubt.” Matt Dees, Winemaker
Ryan Woodhouse, K&L Buyer: “Every year this wine gives a great insight to the phenomenal wines of Jonata Estate (which just so happens to be the SoCal sister property to Screaming Eagle in Napa). The 2019 Todos is simply spectacular and truly gives the high-end bottling from Jonata a run for their money in every way. Built around a powerful, muscular core of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is masterfully composed to include at least a small amount of everything grown on the estate giving a truly panoramic expression of a given vintage. Jonata’s Matt Dees is well know as one of the most talented winemakers of his generation with many 100-point wines to his name, and a plethora of the best vineyard sites across Santa Barbara County at his disposal. Jonata’s estate in Ballard Canyon is incredible – intricate blocks of vines put down deep roots in the pure sand soils. The fruit from here is immensely concentrated and presents heightened aromatics and fine-grained tannins. The 19 Todos is redolent with woodsy spices, black raspberry, bramble fruit, charred meat with rubbing spices, some redcurrant paste, bay laurel, crushed rock mineral, subtle oak spices frame the complex mélange of spicy, brambly, smokey fruit. Reminiscent of something from the northern Rhone, but with a little more density and hints of singed cedar from the Cabernet. Such a fascinating and layered wine. I’m also certain this wine has 10+ years of positive development, and probably 20+ years of excellent drinking ahead of it. A very serious wine for a very modest price point.”
Wine Enthusiast – 97 points: “Winemaker Matt Dees is considered one of the best winemakers anywhere, and this blend is ample reason to believe the hype. Intense, focused and dry but rich aromas of dark fruit, roasted wood, crushed rocks and wild herb enliven the nose, while the palate is weighty yet expertly tense. Flavors of dried red fruit, peppery spice and milk chocolate float into the finish.” — Matt Kettmann, March 2023
My Review: Inky in the glass. Concord grape, dark plum and red fruit notes on the nose. Brambly, dark fruit on the palate. A bit dark and brooding with a touch – just a touch of sweetness. Very smooth. Easy drinking. We enjoyed this wine. November 2024
“JONATA wine experiences are offered at our sister winery The Hilt Estate in their new tasting room The Barn. The Hilt Estate is a dramatic property located within a 30 minute drive west of JONATA in Santa Barbara County’s Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Located just miles from the Pacific Ocean near the intersection of the historic Highway 1 and Santa Rosa Road, The Barn at The Hilt Estate is ideally situated as the starting or ending point for a Santa Barbara wine trip.
“With wines from two renowned estates—JONATA and The Hilt—The Barn at The Hilt Estate offers one of the most diverse lineups of wine in Santa Barbara County. From highly acclaimed pinot noirs and chardonnays from The Hilt to JONATA’s sought after Bordeaux varietals such as cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and Rhône varietal syrah, there is something for every palate.”
This is the second of a two-part series highlighting my recommendations of standout wineries and wines based on our November visit to Amador County. Today’s post focuses on Turley Wine Cellars, Andis Wines, Deaver Vineyards, and PleinAir Vineyards. I have been a Turley member forever – yet had not visited their Amador winery. Andis showed us that the region is much more than Zinfandel and Barbera. Deaver is one of the oldest vineyards and original wineries boasting exceptional Zinfandels and more. And PleinAir not only focused on Rhône varietals but also had a Central Coast connection!
We started our second day, touring the historic gold mining town of Jackson, shopping at The Biggest Little Kitchen Store (awesome!) and hunting down the original courthouse building (art deco!) before heading to the wineries. We again were able to drop in on the wineries without reservations – because it was mid-November. Reservations would otherwise be highly recommended!
Today I am bringing you 9 wines from our second day of tasting in Amador County. Any errors are mine and mine alone. As a matter of practice, I do not correct any typo’s from winery websites. Let’s go!!
About Turley: “Turley Wine Cellars was founded in Napa Valley by former emergency room physician Larry Turley in 1993. Under the direction of winemaker Tegan Passalacqua, Turley now makes 50 different wines from over 50 vineyards across California, primarily Zinfandel and Petite Syrah, with many vines dating back to the late 1800s. By farming organically and focusing on old vine vineyards of these varieties, Turley aims to both create and preserve California’s unique winemaking culture.”
As a longtime member of Turley, I’ve written about their wines many times, including a visit to their Paso Robles Tasting Room in 2023. Just type “Turley” into the search bar on the Decanting Monterey website. The “Whitney Tennessee” was tasted at the Amador Tasting Room. The “Dusi” came from our home collection and was served with our Thanksgiving turkey! Everyone else drank a nice Burgundy. I prefer a Turley!
2022 Turley Whitney Tennessee Zinfandel, Alexander Valley AVA, Sonoma County (#1501)
Winery Notes: “This small, estate-owned, pre-Prohibition vineyard in Sonoma County was purchased by the winery in 2009, and we’ve since converted all to organic farming. Planted on loam and various gravel soils, the Whitney Tennessee vineyard—named for one of Larry’s four daughters—is a mixed planting as well, with small amounts of Petite Syrah and Carignane vines sprinkled throughout.
“Organically farmed pre-Prohibition vines planted head-trained and dry-farmed in the loam & gravel of Sonoma County. Garrigue, red and dark fruits, herbs de Provence and dried flowers. Some savory sweetness with a spiced finish on makes this heady wine easy to enjoy.”
My Review: Warm jam on the nose. SweetTart on the palate. Quite a contrast. Give this one a couple of years in the bottle – it will be terrific. November 2024
2020 Turley Zinfandel, Dusi Vineyard, Paso Robles AVA, San Luis Obispo County, $43 (#1502)
Winery Notes: “The Dusi vineyard was planted by Dante Dusi in 1945 and it is farmed by his family to this day. The vines are head-trained and dry-farmed, planted in soil that is mostly alluvial with some very large rocks. Like our other vineyards in the area, Dusi is on the west side of Paso Robles, in the cool Templeton Gap sub-AVA.
“The darker, more hedonistic cousin to the Pesenti Zinfandel, with plenty of fruits that run the full gamut from berry to stone and everything in between. Supple, juicy, and mouthwatering on the palate with a mineral zip. Drink now.”
My Review: Earth and crushed strawberries on the nose. Sweet palate of dark berry wine and cassis. This is a Sharon kind of wine. November 2024
We noticed the sleek and modern Andis Tasting Room right off the main Shenandoah Road and decided to stop in. We caught them in the middle of a member pickup party with light food pairings with the tastings. It was a walking tour of the winery, with different stations in different parts, including local small businesses showing their wares. All in all, a fun experience. Here we tried both Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. For a moment, based on the wines alone, I felt like I was back in Monterey!
About Andis Wines: “…As an avid wine enthusiast and Napa frequenter, to discover such a secretive wine region inspired founder, Janis Akuna. It gave her a vision to share a different kind of experience with other wine enthusiasts. But even more than that, it was the rural wine region of Amador County that struck her the most; reminiscent of the early days of Napa she so dearly missed.
“In 2009, Janis and her husband, Andy Friedlander, found their own stretch of land to replant portions of the vineyard originally planted in the 1970s, while seeking out the highest quality vineyards to buy additional fruit. Working closely with Sage Architecture and Sunseri Construction, they built a state of the art winemaking facility with two tenets; design a sustainable winery to produce world class wines that is attractive, but different from all others…” I encourage you to click the “About” link above for much more to their story.
2021 Painted Fields Curse of Knowledge, Sierra Foothills AVA, Amador County, 14.5% ABV, $33 (#1503) 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot
Winery Notes: “Curse of Knowledge is our Cabernet Sauvignon made in the Bordeaux style by carefully blending Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a hint of Petit Verdot. We aim to showcase a new dimension of flawlessly balanced, well-structured, and quality wine that will shift people’s views of the Sierra Foothills. You’ll be captivated by the intense ruby color and the sensational bouquet of dried violet, black cherry, fresh herbs, and cocoa powder. The velvety tannins create a generous and round, balanced mid-palate, with a lingering finish of dark berries and black licorice. Enjoy it now to taste the brightness of our fruits, or age it in your cellar for the next decade.”
My Notes: There was a lot going on in the room where these big reds were tasted, so my notes are lacking. The curse is people only think of Zinfandel and Barbera when they think of Amador. I was impressed enough to take one of these wines home. November 2024
2021 Andis Petite Sirah, Sierra Foothills AVA, Amador County, 14.5% ABV, $40 (#1504)
Winery Notes: “Andis Petite Sirah, sourced from the best vineyards across the Sierra Foothills, is a true expression of a robust, full-bodied, and firmly tannic wine with deep dark color, giving it a rustic appeal. Expect aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and black pepper, along with notes of vanilla from oak aging.
It offers an extraordinary concentration that will serve it well as it ages.”
My Review: Purple in the glass and chocolate on the palate. Yum. I took one home. November 2024
Deaver is one of the original, old-school wineries in the region. They have been around since the 1850’s. They have 350 acres planted to mostly Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, with some Alicante Bouchet. Their basic tasting menu is free! We, of course, opted for their Zinfandel tasting for a whopping $10! Here we tried several fantastic Zinfandels and ended up buying a case of wine!
About Deaver Vineyards: “In 1848 young John James Davis began his journey across the plains to California from Ripley County, Indiana. In the midst of his journey, he stopped in Iowa to learn the cooper trade before continuing his journey to California. By 1852, John James had completed his journey and settled in Placerville. The first few years that John James (known as JJ) was in California were marked by mining and the promise of gold and cooperage. In 1854, JJ planted his first vines, Mission grapes. By 1869 he had his own cooper shop, own vineyards, produced limited quantities of wine – marking some of the first documentation of Davis grapes in the area. According to family stories, by 1870 JJ had 117 acres; 6 acres of his original Mission grapes still remain in production in the Deaver family today. Following the advice of his good friend Uhlinger, he began to plant Zinfandel….”
“…In 1968 Sutter Home purchased several tons of Zinfandel grapes from Ken Deaver and made a wine that caught the eye of many wine enthusiasts. This marked the beginning of selling grapes to commercial wineries.
“In 1986, Ken Deaver bottled his first Zinfandel with the trademark Deaver label. Following this bottling, Ken began his dream of opening a Tasting Room where guests would be able to taste the fruits of his labor. On January 18, 1989 Ken Deaver passed away due to a heart attack. Though Ken was gone, his dream continued to persevere and the tasting room opened in 1990…” You can read their whole history here.
2019 Deaver Henry’s House Zinfandel, Amador County, 15.4% ABV, $35 (#1505)
Winery Notes: “A tasting room favorite! Medium-bodied with a deep rich palate of spice and dark berries with a silky smooth finish…This solid and well-stated Zin is full with manageable tannins and ample fruit working to buffer its minor finishing heat. It is built to last but is still very nice with braises and stews.”
My Review: All of their Zins were quite impressive but notetaking was minimal. This wine was dark in the glass and elicited a “wow” from me. November 2024
2019 Deaver Signature Zinfandel, Amador County, 15% ABV, $35 (#1506)
Winery Notes: “Ample, well-extracted, fully ripe, blackberry fruit is teamed with a savory streak of dried herbs in both the aromas and flavors of this substantial and somewhat sinewy young Zin, and, while most definitely a hearty wine, just as all of the Deaver bottlings, it is solidly structured and built for age. It is a bit ragged at the finish just now, but its fruit persists and does not get pushed aside by excessive tannin or heat, and a little more time, say three or four years, will see it round into fine drinking shape as a partner to rich and well-seasoned fare.”
My Review: Made from the top 4-5 barrels another “wow” wine – this one is very rich. I just hope we can resist opening it for the recommended timeframe. November 2024
2019 Deaver Vineyards Circa 1860’s Old Vine Zinfandel, Amador County, 15.1% ABV, $55 (#1507)
I don’t have winery notes for this wine – perhaps it is a club-only selection. I presented it to my virtual wine group in December.
My Notes: Medium purple in color. Rich plum and blackberry on the nose with saddle leather, cinnamon and a hint of bubblegum. Full palate of ripe plum and dark berries and black cherry in an elegant composure, followed by tart berries and a lot of cassis. This is not bombastic, but a true reflection of its old vines’ heritage. December 2024
We had never heard of PleinAir Vineyards – but it was highly recommended by one of the wineries hosting the Rest hotel’s daily wine tastings. We drove over to Fiddletown and stumbled upon a French farmhouse surrounded by vineyards and quite the crowd in their tasting room. I, of course, presented my Decanting Monterey business card, which led to a whole conversation with owners Tom and Sarah Malone. As you can read on their website, they previously lived in Pebble Beach and, before that, Pacific Grove – in a house on our own street! Such a small world.
About PleinAir Vineyards: “We are a creative couple who honed our style renovating homes over our 40 year history together and we bring our own skill set to any project we undertake. While I focus on the overall design and creative direction, Tom specializes in all aspects of construction, development and is equally skilled in handling almost any DIY task required. While nearing completion on our last project in Pebble Beach, we turned our sites toward the Sierra Foothills and Amador’s wine valley. We bought 21.5 acres with a tiny home in dire need of renovation which had room to plant vineyards and build a winery and tasting venue. We thought it was the perfect opportunity to expand our knack for creating casual environments with touches of European charm into a business influenced by the romance of rolling vineyards and quaint wine tasting venues. PleinAir is truly a reflection of all the things we love – we call it “casual rustic elegance” and we look forward to sharing our wines and our venue with you!”
“Our estate vineyards are located in the Fiddletown AVA (American Viticultural Area) in Amador County, CA. The region was first settled in 1849 during the California gold rush and is known for its old growth Zinfandel and other Rhone varietals. The property sits between 1850 and 1950 feet elevation on 21.5 acres of rolling slopes. The soils are well drained sandy loams and decomposed granite. We currently have Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, Petite Sirah and Viognier planted.” Yep, no Zinfandel or Barbera planted here!
Winery Notes: “Dark ruby in color, our 2023 Oblique captures the personality of our Estate Grenache- effusive red plum, grenadine, and cranberries. The decidedly opulent and voluminous palate remains elegant and lively. Completely dry of sugar, the mid palate boasts a round and supple feel, derived from our vineyard focused approach. No fining or filtration!”
My Notes: I have only had a rose saignée previously, not a red wine. This may have been the best Grenache I have ever tasted due to the unique winemaking method – a nice, dry wine with excellent flavor. November 2024
2021 PleinAir Syrah, Fiddletown AVA, Amador County, $44 (#1509)
Winery Notes: “From our estate marked by its sandy loam and decomposed granite soils nested with gently rolling slopes, our Syrah boasts aromas of boysenberry, graphite and smoked charcuterie with a rich and dense palate that reinforces briar berries and black spice” GOLD MEDAL 2024 FOOTHILL WINE FEST
My Notes: This wine was a keeper – big, dark fruit. It was the last wine of the day. Sorry I don’t have better notes. November 2024
THE TASTING ROOMS
Due to the length of today’s post, please check each winery’s website for details on how to taste their wines.
A beautiful Amador sunset leaving PleinAir Vineyards!
(Seeing this on Instagram? Click the link in my profile to read the whole story)
THE STORY
I was eating my lunch at the kitchen table, reading the Carmel Pine Cone, as I typically do. I opened the January 10th edition to the real estate section and found this ad on page 42:
It’s an ad for a Bernardus Vineyard consisting of “32-acres of vines comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Petite Syrah and Merlot.The wines produced from the vineyard are consistently awarded 90+ scores for their quality and structure that will age.”
I just about fell out of my chair and immediately called out to my husband. This sounded like Bernardus’ Marinus Vineyard – from which their founder Ben Pon fulfilled his dream to make a Bordeaux-style wine right here in Carmel Valley (in Monterey County). I was devastated to read this news, as the Marinus and Marinus Signature blends made from these grapes, are my favorite Bernarduswines. We have been long-time members of their Marinus club and have enjoyed their Marinus dinners over the past few years – my favorite event of the year.
At the most recent such dinner in 2024, which I wrote about in this post 2024 Bernardus Marinus Dinner – Nothing Short of Spectacular!, we heard for the first time the full, colorful history of the founding of this vineyard and the beginnings of the winery. It is quite a moving story. Knowing this news now and looking back on that dinner, I can see why the telling of those stories was so emotional for the winery staff as well. This must have been a difficult decision to make.
The Bernardus Marinus wines are quality, age-worthy wines. I fear this marks the end of an era, but perhaps it is simply an expression of the trends in consumption and maybe even climate. After all, even though we might feel like these wineries are providing us a service and we may be way too attached to wines from certain vineyards, winemaking at the end of the day is a business and wineries must follow the trends and the fruit to achieve their bottom lines.
THE SIGNS WERE THERE
We knew something was up when tons of the 2017 Marinus showed up at Costco for a fraction of their retail price (we bought as much as we could). In addition, at the Marinus dinner, there was talk about no longer making a separate Marinus Bordeaux-style blend and just making the higher end Signature. Now I understand why. Bernarduswill still make a high-quality reserve Bordeaux-style blend, just not from that vineyard. But from where? What fruit will match the quality and historical significance of their own estate vineyard?
And, while Bernardus was a key, early player in the Carmel Valley AVA, it is widely known for its “Monterey County” wines available nation-wide and its reputation has been soaring with its high-quality vineyard-designate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from the Santa Lucia Highlands. I have written about all their wines many times. You can find those posts by typing “Bernardus” in the Decanting Monterey search bar. Those varietals are what Monterey County is more broadly known for.
Bernardus’ Vineyard-designate Trio of Pinot Noirs
I want to say up front in this post that I’m telling you this story off the top of my head – any errors are mine and mine alone – and do let me know if corrections need to be made.
THINGS THEY BE A-CHANGING
We’ve seen so much change in our Monterey wineries and vineyards. Often it is because the original owners have aged out or passed away and their heirs don’t want to continue to produce wine. It’s sad. Because many of these vintners were the founders of winemaking in this region. We have seen Talbott and Hahn labels and winemaking taken over by Gallo Wines. We saw Galante, which still produces wines, sell its vineyards and winery to newcomer Tira Nanza, who shows great promise. We saw Joullian close and be put up for sale. The Massa Estate is also for sale – the Durney legacy vineyards of some of the most prized Cabernet Sauvignon fruit in Carmel Valley/Cachagua. Pierce Ranch Vineyardsdown in San Antonio Valley AVA closed its tasting room in 2023 and decided to focus on selling its fruit. And the Boekenoogen family recently chose to stop wine production, with Santa Lucia Highlands locals McIntyre Vineyardstaking over its tasting room and inventory. And Manzonihas kept their vineyard, while selling its tasting room and winemaking to younger players. So much change. Most recently, and last I heard, we’ve seen a merger of newer players Seabold Cellars into San Benito’s Eden Rift.
Maintaining a quality vineyard is a hard job, with the threats of fire and drought around the corner. In some of our conversations with vineyard owners, they have no interest in bottling their own juice, as it means lots of road time to market their product. Our Monterey Countygrapes are much sought after by wineries outside of Monterey County. Having the Santa Lucia Highlands designation on a bottle means something. Carmel Valley is less widely known, but remains my favorite AVA within Monterey (oops, I’m not supposed to have favorites).
And then there is the overall downturn in wine consumption and climate change, affecting wineries across the globe. Some vineyards are ripping out grapes or have left their fruit to rot on the vines. We are at a critical juncture. As one local vintner put it, it’s the “ebb and flow” of the business.
NOW WHAT?
My first reaction about the sale of the Bernardus Marinus Vineyard was pure incredulity. I kind of took it personally. I did communicate with the winery and I know what a tough decision this was for them. I know they will do their best to continue to produce a high-quality Bourdeaux-style blend to keep their consumers like me happy. I personally hope they can find the fruit from the Carmel Valley AVA, but I might be asking for too much.
Then I started to have crazy thoughts – like how we could pull together a consortium of wine aficionados/investors and vineyard/winemaking experts to purchase this prize property. It’s fun to think about, but that’s a long stretch. It would be WORK. And I’ve already got a good gig – I’m retired. And as my good friend and Decanting Monterey Wine Pod member says, “The best way to make a small fortune (in winemaking) is to start with a large fortune.” Nope, I checked…I don’t have one.
So, all I am left with is hope. Hope that someone who cares about those quality grapevines will buy the vineyard and help preserve Ben Pon’s legacy of making a quality Bordeaux-style blend from Carmel Valley.
That’s my think piece for today. I’ve gotten over myself. Not a single wine review in today’s post. See, anything is possible.
Heather Rammel and Jim McCabe of Bernardus Wine
Let’s all raise a toast to the Marinus Vineyard and Ben Pon’s legacy!
We don’t get off the Monterey Peninsula very often, but we were able to tag a weekend in the Shenandoah Valley area of Amador County onto a rare trip up north. I’m a Zinfandel girl at heart, so it was fun to get back to my wine loving roots. I had never visited the Sierra Foothills wineries, so everything was a first for me. We were able to spend 2 days wine tasting – and I am so glad we did!
The hills were very dry in Shenandoah Valley and the road to get there was narrow and windy. It didn’t look like anyplace I had been before. We are talking rural. We blew right past Plymouth in the blink of an eye. And suddenly we found our first winery! We were able to visit each of the wineries without a reservation (it was mid-November, after all) and were please by the affordability of the tasting fees – in some places there was no tasting fee at all!
Lots of grapes were left hanging in this region due to lower demand.
We stayed in tiny Plymouth at the lovely boutique Rest hotel (highly recommended) and had our first night’s meal at Taste, a first-rate experience across the board.
This is going to be a two-part series highlighting my recommendations of standout wineries and wines based on our visit. Today’s post focuses on Villa Toscano, Cooper Vineyards and Scott Harvey Wines. I’d like to share with you some of our experiences on our first day visiting. We did not make it to all the wineries recommended to us. I’m going to focus on the highlights to keep this as short and sweet as possible.
THE SIERRA FOOTHILLS WINE REGION
Let’s start at the top with a history of the Sierra Foothills Wine Region from this Wine Enthusiast article:
“The region’s wine industry dates back to the Gold Rush when, in the mid 1800s, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world arrived searching for riches. Some looked for gold and others, like businessmen Levi Strauss, Domingo Ghirardelli and Henry Wells and William G. Fargo, serviced those looking for gold. Southern European settlers, mainly from Italy, first began planting grapevines in the area. The region’s diverse soils proved ideal for growing grapes. The wine industry soon took off thanks to a population boom and by the early 1900s, the Sierra Foothills had become a major producer for California.
“Unfortunately, Prohibition dealt a severe blow to business. But vineyards were merely abandoned instead of being ripped out entirely. In the 1970s, winemakers began to discover the many old vines still producing high-quality grapes and saw potential in the Sierra Foothills. In 1987, The Sierra Foothills American Viticulture Area (AVA), with its six sub-zones of California Shenandoah Valley, Amador County, El Dorado, Fair Play, Fiddletown and North Yuba, was officially established. Today, the region has more than 200 wineries.”
ABOUT AMADOR COUNTY WINEGROWING REGIONS
We didn’t know much about Amador County wines, so relied on this Amador Vintners website plus recommendations from friends and wine ratings to pick our stops. Our experience spanned some of the oldest wineries in the region to some of the newest. Most of the wineries we visited were in the Shenandoah Valley AVA, known for its Zinfandel and Barbera wines, but it is much more than that. At the recommendation of the hotel’s happy hour winery, we also drove over to Fiddletown to check out a newer winery focusing on Rhône varietals. That will be in next week’s post!
From Amador Vintners: “Amador Wine Country: Relaxed and Unpretentious. With a stunning setting in the Sierra Foothills that delivers an authentic wine country experience. Exactly how you remember California’s wine country used to be. The 50+ wineries comprising the Amador Vintners Association are dedicated to producing premium-quality wines that offer distinctive regional character. This character can also be seen in each winery’s genuine brand of hospitality!”
THE WINERIES & WINES
I have 6 wines to present to you today from Villa Toscano, Cooper Vineyards and Scott Harvey Wines. Winery notes are from their websites, tasting sheets, or conversations with staff. I would like to add an honorable mention to the 2022 Jeff Runquist Tempranillo, $32 (#1496) – My Notes: Beautiful dark color in the glass. Balanced, big bold flavors with cassis on the finish. This was our favorite by far at this winery.
Our first stop was Villa Toscano – mostly because it boasted lunch at its Bistro and was a good place to rendezvous with our friends. It’s older architecture in a Tuscan style, reminiscent of times gone by. We got their first and made a bee line to their Tasting Room, where the staff helped us hone in on a few of the best reds. We were pleasantly surprised. It was also the first place we encountered a White Barbera!
The 2023 White Barbera was a little zippy and a fun wine!
There are so many wines to explore here (the image above is only their reds!) and it is worthy of a future visit, when we can spend more than 10 minutes in the tasting room! Here are a couple of the wines we liked so much that we took them home!
2020 Villa Toscano Gold Rush Old Vine Zinfandel, Shenandoah Valley AVA, Amador County, 15.7% ABV, $45 (#1494)
Winery Notes: “Blackberry, mulberry with bold acidity. Notes of leather and black currant.”
My Review: Cinnamon and cherry on the nose. Lingering palate of jammy, dark fruit. That is a mouthful. A Sharon kind of wine. We took a 2019 and a 2020 home. November 2024
2020 Bella Piazza Montepulciano, Shenandoah Valley AVA, Amador County, $38 (#1495)
Winery Notes for the 2019 Vintage: “Dark berry and red plum aromas with subtle notes of violet and dried herbs.”
My Review: I don’t have detailed tasting notes on this wine. The nose had some sweetness to it – in a good way, followed by a velvety palate of bold flavors. We took 2 home. November 2024
When we walked into Cooper Vineyard’s bustling tasting room, we immediately felt the down-to-earth cowboy vibe. The friendly staff walked us through each wine and several made my list. Alas, I only managed to take one home.
About Cooper Vineyards: “Since the 1970s, the Cooper Family’s mission has been to produce the highest quality fruit and present it to you in exquisite single varietal wines and beautifully balanced blends. Beginning with Barbera, Dick Cooper, family patriarch, carefully tended rolling vineyards that now boast seventeen varietals…Today our premium grapes are producing award-winning wines characterized by rich flavors and lush aromas with subtle fruitiness, balanced tannins, layered complexities, and smooth, lingering finishes.”
2021 Cooper Vineyards Barbera Riserva, Amador County, $47 (#1497)
Winery Notes: “With its perfect marriage of floral and fruity aromas, our 2021 Barbera Riserva wraps itself around you like a big hug. Caramel, apple, leather and cloves on the nose deliver pure joy and pleasure in each and every sip. A subtle spice and heat (could it be red pepper?) merge with a suggestion of raspberry to bring you a finish that is super smooth, dark and rich. A labor of love, this Riserva is barrel select and aged 34 months in 100% New American Oak. Awesome with Drunken Steak with Shitake Mushrooms.”
My Review: Dark fruit/prune and vanilla on the nose. Big dark fruit on the front palate and a lot of sweet on the finish jammy. Good balance of some sweet and tart. Perhaps our favorite Barbera of the day. November 2024
2021 Cooper Vineyards Mourvèdre, Amador County, $32 (#1498)
Winery Notes: Known by many names, Mourvedre is thought to have originated in Spain but is best known as a Rhone varietal. Historically used as a blending grape, Mourvèdre arrived in California in the 1860’s. Our 2021 single varietal Mourvèdre is not for the faint of heart with unique and captivating aromas of toffee and leather, and whispers of sandalwood – earthy, woody, sweet, spicy. This complex wine presents with warm and rich flavors of espresso, oaked vanilla and smokiness. Think stews, braises and other rich and hearty dishes as perfect food pairings.
My Review: Coffee with a hint of smoke on the nose. This wine presents as a classic Mourvèdre. Herbal, dark and brooding and quite tasty. November 2024
Cooper Vineyards Ranch Red, Amador County, 14.5% ABV, $32 (#1499)
Winery Notes: “This innovative blend of Alicante Bouchet (38%), Carignane (25%), Charbono (25%) and Barbera (12%), all 2021 vintages, is rustic yet exotic. Scents of cherry, cola, clove, cinnamon, leather, pepper and sandalwood precede flavors of warm spice, black fruits and the umami characteristics of smoked meat. Soft tannins, balanced acidity and a juicy finish will have you exclaiming…a triumph, Mike Roser, another triumph”
My Review: Bright notes dance on your palate in this everyday red. We took one home. November 2024
We finished our day with a very quick stop at Scott Harvey. The impressive wines are definitely worthy of a revisit and more time to explore the whole collection – with a fresh palate.
About Scott Harvey: I encourage you to click this link and read the whole, beautiful story of Scott Harvey “Where Passion Meets Heritage”
“At the heart of our winemaking journey lies a story of love, heritage, and an unyielding passion for creating exceptional wines. It all began in the picturesque vineyards of Amador County, where Scott, our founder, grew up savoring the rich flavors of his step-grandfather’s homemade wine, crafted from the very grapes that adorned their family estate…With winemaking coursing through his veins, Scott returned to the Sierras, determined to elevate Amador County to a world-class wine region.
“Tirelessly pioneering the area’s potential, he immersed himself in various wineries, honing his craft, until destiny beckoned him to Napa Valley, a mecca for any winemaker. Scott’s winemaking mentor had just bought a small winery in Napa and needed a winemaker for the project. Dr. Richard Peterson asked Scott to make it a takeover candidate by a bigger winery. Scott went to work and created Menage a Trois which did the job. But despite the allure of Napa, his heart remained steadfast in Amador. The turning point arrived when the Napa winery he worked at was sold, presenting Scott with the golden opportunity to reclaim his dream.”
2021 Scott Harvey Vineyard 1869 Zinfandel, Amador County, 14.9% ABV, $75 (#1500)
Winery Notes: “Briary varietal layered Zinfandel, dark color, marjoram spice, bright cherry, tomato, white pepper, medium French oak, luscious center, layered complexity. Old Vine complexity and first growth quality.” “Crafted from the oldest documented Zinfandel vines in the U.S., delivering a piece of history in every sip. ALMOST SOLD OUT!” 90% Zinfandel, 10% Primitivo
My Review: Dark jammy nose. Finished with orange peel. As the last wines of the day, I did not capture thorough tasting notes. We took some home, so I will update this upon a revisit. November 2024
THE TASTING ROOMS
Due to the length of today’s post, please check each winery’s website for details on when and where to taste their wines.
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